This invention relates to a steering column clamping mechanism for an adjustable steering column and more particularly to steering column clamping mechanisms for reach and rake adjustable steering columns.
A steering column clamping mechanism is known from U.S. Pat. No. 4,788,880 which clamps a housing of an adjustable steering column perpendicularly to the longitudinal direction of the steering column. That mechanism comprises a clamping bolt and a lever by which the bolt can be tensioned and the column housing fixed, there being a spring-loaded element between the housing and bolt with the lever and bolt being coupled by pins whose center lines cross that of the bolt when it is in a released condition. The pins are provided between a cup fixed to the bolt and the lever, the pins being longer than the distance, measured in the longitudinal direction, between the cup and lever in the released condition of the bolt, a limited degree of tilting of the pins on their supporting points being possible.
A disadvantage of known clamping mechanisms is that when the steering column in fixed, there is little feel of the degree of clamping. It is desirable that there is a point whereby the lever, when being moved toward its clamped or unclamped position, is just a little more difficult to move, thus indicating that the desired position has been reached. A second disadvantage of known clamping mechanisms is that there is no positive indication as the clamping mechanism moves from the clamped position to the unclamped position, that is, the point it changes from one position to the other position.
The foregoing illustrates limitations known to exist in present steering column clamping mechanisms. Thus, it is apparent that it would be advantageous to provide an alternative directed to overcoming one or more of the limitations set forth above. Accordingly, a suitable alternative is provided including features more fully disclosed hereinafter.